Hey so I'm new to this all but just finishing up the interior on a 1984 mastercraft Stars and Stripes. Going to strip the paint off the hull soon and don't wanna mess up. I've only painted cars and trucks previously. Any tips? Paints, primers....anything I'll need.

It seems like even though it's a lot of work, the paint is too far gone

While that might be the case, there's been some amazing stories of gel coat (not paint!) recovery on this site. Definitely worth a little research prior to resorting to painting the hull, which is going to negatively affect the value of the boat in most people's eyes.

It seems like even though it's a lot of work, the paint is too far gone

There is no paint on these boats from the factory. It is Gel Coat. Much thicker than paint and can be brought back. Start with some compound on a buffer and I think you will be very surprised at the results. There are several threads that go over this process. Do a quick search.

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You look like I need a beer!
2001 Prostar 195 Sold
2011 Ski Nautique 200 Current
2007 X45 LY6 Current

Wet sanding, compounding, polishing and waxing the gelcoat will not be easy but it's easier and a lot cheaper than prepping and painting. Really the only reason to paint would be if you wanted different colors.